The present invention relates to pick-ups for windrowed crops and more particularly relates to devices used in conjunction with pick-ups for controlling crop flow.
Crop processing implements such as balers and forage harvesters are often provided with a front-mounted pick-ups that are used for lifting a windrow of crop from the ground and delivering it for further processing by the implement. These pick-ups utilize a rotating conveyor provided with a plurality of spring teeth across its width to engage and lift the windrow. One problem attendant with these pick-ups is that when operating to pick up relatively small windrows of light crop, the crop tends to be kicked forward by the rotating teeth until a relatively large amount has accumulated. When this crop finally feeds in, plugging of the implement sometimes results. In attempting to overcome this problem, designers have provided various crop compressors or hold down arrangements.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,513,430, issued to Scheid on Jul., 4, 1950, there is disclosed a crop compressor arrangement comprising a U-shaped support having its opposite legs pivotally mounted to opposite sides of the pick-up for allowing the frame to pivot vertically, the bight of the frame supporting a plurality of compressor straps spaced across its width. The straps extend down into close proximity of the ground and then are curved up and back to terminal ends located above a tine supporting, pick-up conveyor belt. The compressor bars act to gently press on the crop windrow with the curved portion of the bars acting in conjunction with the spring teeth for preventing the crop in the windrow from being merely pushed forwardly by the teeth. The pivotal mounting of the U-shaped frame allows it to raise and lower in response to the thickness of the windrow.
The known compressor arrangements suffer from the drawbacks of not being suspended for quick response to abrupt changes in windrow thickness both along the length and width of the windrow.
According to the present invention there is provided an improved crop controlling arrangement for use with a windrow pick-up of a crop processing implement.
An object of the invention is to provide a crop controlling arrangement in the form of a baffle having an optionally usable flexible flap at its lower end that engages the ground so as to serve to effectively prevent light crop from bunching ahead of a windrow pick-up, while maintaining the crop against the tined rotating device of the pick-up.
Another object of the invention is to provide a crop controlling arrangement including a baffle suspended for riding on top of the windrow and/or for being immediately responsive to changes in thickness of the windrow and/or for maintaining an approximate constant spacing between the baffle and pick-up tooth path.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a crop controlling arrangement having a suspension that is flexible vertically, so as to move in response to side-to-side differences in thickness of windrows, but which exhibits side ways stiffness so as to resist side-to-side-flexure.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a crop controlling arrangement including a baffle, as set forth in one or more of the previous objects, wherein compressor rods are joined to, and spaced transversely across the top of the baffle and extend rearwardly above the pick-up.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description together with the appended drawings.